Auburn gets the feel-good homecoming win, but what's next for the Tigers?

Auburn's Onterio McCalebb is on his way to one of his two touchdowns and some of his 113 yards on only eight carries (Julie Bennett / al.com)

AUBURN, Alabama – For one happy hour, everything went right. The fullback who never gets the ball scored, freshman quarterback Jonathan Wallace got a win in his first start, a linebacker scored on a fumble return with a stiff-arm that flattened a would-be tackler that will be on the highlight loop for years to come.

But what did Auburn's 42-7 win over New Mexico State on Saturday really mean?

It meant Auburn won its second game of the season, won for the first time in 49 days, snapped a five-game losing streak. It also meant coach Gene Chizik didn't have to explain a loss, or dance around questions about his status as Auburn's coach.

It meant Auburn can claim some momentum, a momentum that will be challenged as soon as next week when Georgia rolls into town. Was Saturday a short-term fix? Next Saturday may tell.

Auburn improved to 2-7 against a team that fell to 1-8. The homecoming crowd that was generously estimated at 74,676, but was likely quite a bit smaller, cheered a second half after nervously watching Auburn lead only 7-0 at halftime.

The defense rebounded after allowing a record 671 yards against Texas A&M in a 63-21 loss just the week before. New Mexico State got half the yards, far fewer points and went home.

Tre Mason and Onterio McCalebb came through with a pair of 100-yard rushing games and three touchdowns.

It was a pleasant diversion after five tough weeks.

"I think this is something that you can build on," Chizik said. "We have a great SEC game coming up next weekend, and it is going to be extremely tough, but we will take some things that we did a little better this week than last week, and we will try to build on those."

Auburn scored three times in the third quarter and early in the fourth as it wore down New Mexico State with a steady running game that accounted for 311 of the team's 475 yards.

But it wasn't the only game in town.

Executive Associate Athletics Director Tim Jackson wasn't on the sidelines with coaches and players, as he usually is, but instead was dispatched to work the executive suites on behalf of Chizik and Athletics Director Jay Jacobs in the midst of this trying season. But not all the influential alums were at homecoming. They weren't the only no-shows.

Seats still available in the third quarter in Jordan-Hare Stadium (Julie Bennett / al.com)

The upper decks were maybe half full, the student seats in the end zone were empty and there were spaces between fans throughout the stadium.

Was that a statement on the team's record? If so, the players didn't seem to notice, or at least in the second half when they finally got to have some fun.

There was fullback Jay Prosch scoring a touchdown to make it 14-0. That was different. His last TD? Way back in high school, and not even many then.

"We were going to get Jay in the end zone. That guy is the most unselfish guy on the team," said offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler.

There was Mason, who rushed for 152 yards on 22 carries. And there was McCalebb, who gained 113 yards on only eight carries. They led the way despite facing a defense committed to stopping them.

"At halftime, we knew they were putting eight or nine guys up around the line of scrimmage, and we just felt like we still needed to run the football," Chizik said. "We had to stay at it."

Auburn switched to a counter running game and Auburn gained most of its yards in the second half.

"The running game was premium," Wallace said.

There was Wallace, making his first start, and turning in a workmanlike 9-of-16 passing day with a touchdown and interception.

"Overall, I couldn’t be more pleased with the way he managed the team, directed the team, made plays at critical times in the game when we needed them," Chizik said. "Just looking at it from the naked eye and what I know, I am very proud of the way that he performed."

There was Daren Bates, whose scoop and score of a fumble put the game out of reach at 21-0 when he raced 62 yards for the score. The highlight of the game? Easily Bates stiff-arming Germi Morrison flat to the ground on his way to the end zone.

"We have been waiting for something like that to happen defensively for us all year long for something big to happen with a turnover or a turnover for a touchdown or something big to happen, and I think that certainly gave us a spark," Chizik said.

But a spark against New Mexico State is easier to find than against Georgia, especially when you're 0-6 in the SEC, as Auburn is.

Maybe there's enough flame for Auburn now.

"We've got to have the same momentum, same attitude, same tenacity," Bates said.